How is a singles game played and decided?

Question

Accepted Answer

Players and bowls: a Singles game is played between two opposing players, who play singly and in turn either two, three or four bowls of a set, as decided by the Controlling Body (law 1.1). Toss: the opponents toss a coin. The winner chooses either to place the mat and deliver the jack and first bowl, or to tell the opponent to do so (the opponent cannot refuse) (law 5.2). Later ends: after the first end, the winner of the previous scoring end places the mat and delivers the jack and first bowl. After a tied end the same rule applies, and if the first end is tied the same player plays first in the second end (laws 5.4, 24.3 and 24.4). Result: victory goes to the player with the highest total of shots, ends won or sets, or a combination, as set out in the Conditions of Play (law 26.1). Drawn knockout game: if the scores are equal after a fixed number of ends in a knockout competition, an extra end is played. The opponents toss a coin, the winner decides who plays first, and further extra ends are played if scores are still equal (law 28).